For Sale: NEW Mountainsmith Modular Pannier System

Modular: panniers can be used as 2 backpacks. System includes: 2 large panniers, 2 carrier attachment devices to bike carrier, 1 bike seat bag (which can also serve as a water bottle/waist pack), + 1 handlebar bag (which can serve as a medium-size waist pack).

The products pictured say "Cyclesmith" and not "Mountainsmith." Acording to the USPTO, the branding on the products in the picture belongs to The Blackstone Group, a rather large equity holding company. Web references to "Cyclesmith" include a bike shop in Wisconsin, a small-time Harley-Davidson customizer of unknown origin, and bicycle repair shop in Salt Lake City. I can say two things for certain:

1. These are not Mountainsmith bags.

2. The quality of these bags cannot be determined with the information given.

Mountainsmith (back when they first started) may have had at one time a bike bag company called cycle smith. I don't have the time to research old magazines but this does ring a bell. Hine Snowbridge did the same thing, their bike bags were sold as Kirtland Tourpack.

Alan is right--Mountainsmith did make bike bags for a while under the Cyclesmith name (label very similiar to the Mountainsmith label at the time). Thanks for the reminder on Hine Snowbridge--besides making great backpacking gear, I think the Kirtland Tourpack bike bags & panniers were the best ever made!

Mountainsmith seems to have owned the mark for about 4 months in mid-1999, selling it to Schwinn in September of that year. It was then sold back to Mountainsmith in 2003, and they appear to have lost it to the bank less than a year later. Finally, it was sold to Blackstone, the current owner, in 2007.

What I want to know is why I can't find these panniers on the web anywhere else? Does the seller have a model name.number or the name of the product line?

Want some superstrong light panniers, I made mine out of two exMayonaise buckets at a cost of about $20 for spray paint, reflective tape and shelf brackets for rack mounts. I have two more I can put on the front for extended touring. Bike shown does not have a rack on the front.

Kirtland did make very nice bike bags as did Madden back in the day. Finances at the time dictated that I buy Cannondale Overlands which I still use, especially on my daily commute. Hine Snowbridge also made padded camera bags under a different label, I think it was called Altan.

Yeah, and I left the bails on em for carrying water back to camp from a stream, they make excellent chairs,a table and I use the same kind of buckets for food caching when on extended hikes. Even a camp cooler filled with ice!

The one below which has a mate of course has been used on three tours since I designed them in 2007. The bucket was free from where I worked. Some places charge $5 for them. Most places go thru about 2-10 a week. Pickles also come in them.